Greetings! I thought I would relate my start in this hobby, and my subsequent regrettable later moves...
It was 1990 and I was in Del Rio, Texas (where I'm at again) as a brand new Air Force Lieutenant going through pilot training. I had always been into antiques, and had always wanted an old soda machine or two. While driving around one day, I spotted what appeared to be a white-top Coke machine behind a fence in a partially collapsed building. There was a weathered for sale sign on the property with a phone number, so I called. It turned out the owners lived in Mexico (only 3 miles from where I was). We arranged a meeting, and he unlocked the gate and let me in to see it. It was a Vendo 81A if memory serves. It was complete with a bit of surface rust here and there, bad wiring, and a broken door glass. I asked how much (he spoke no english, so I used my high school spanish), and he asked for which one. I gave him a good confused look. It turned out there was also a Westinghouse Standard ice box behind me against a wall, minus lids but otherwise decent. I pointed to the V-81, and he said $25.00. After I picked my jaw up, I asked how much for both! He replied $50.00, at which time I nearly broke my arm pulling my wallet out. To my horror I only had $44.00 on me. He quickly said that was fine, and they were both now mine!! I loaded the V-81 into the back seat of my 1984 Mustang convertible (with the top down), buckled it in, and drove it back to my place. I got quite a few stares! I then went back for the Standard.
While there in Texas, I also was given a 6-case vertical Coke in very nice shape from the local museum owner who was glad to get it out of his store room at the museum, and a square top 1960s bottle machine and 1970s can machine.
Unfortunately, a few years later I ended up selling the V-81 to a guy who restored machines in NC while stationed there. I got $450 for it, which was great in my mind at the time.
I sold the 6-case to another collector who wanted it for a fair price considering the cooling system wasn't complete or working. I also traded the two square-tops with $50.00 to an antique dealer for a really nice White Mountain Grand oak ice box, which I still have.
I still have the Westinghouse Standard, still unrestored (needs paint and lids). I had bought an original cap catcher for it at an antique shop for $5.00, but it was lost by the guy that had the machine to paint them (never painted either).
Since then, I have found some nice machines for my collection. I still don't have a Vendo 81, and probably won't get one for such a good price again! I'll keep watching for one! Right now, I'm eyeing an Atlas Junior Dr. Pepper box in decent shape. I'll keep y'all posted if I get it...
Just my 5 cents!
Greg
